Ella, of Course! (by Sarah Weeks)

Ella is a natural-born problem solver but now she has a problem. How will she get through the dance recital without her beloved -- but problematic -- umbrella?

Spunky girls have become a happy standard in picture books in recent years, and Ella joins the genre wearing a pink dress -- but true to form, she also comes with lots of smarts. Parents will appreciate Ella's can-do attitude and general good humor, and kids will identify with her much-loved umbrella and the problems it inspires.

The author knows how to make a story a read-aloud delight, stocking the book with bouncy text, a suspenseful (in a preschool sense) plot, and fun repetition, from the "Whoosh ... click!" of the opening umbrella to the "Ella, of course!" of the title. The illustrations nicely complement the joyous text: The acrylic pictures have lots of action and a bright, saturated color with a soft, blended texture. Ella's spunk jumps off the page as she skips along with her trouble-making, blue-skies umbrella.

Author: Sarah Weeks
Illustrator: Doug Cushman, Louis Darling
Publisher: Harcourt
Publication date: March 22, 2007
Number of pages: 32
Hardcover price: $16.00
Read Aloud: 3
Read Alone: 7